Begonia plant named ‘Betuko’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Betuko’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; semi-double flowers that are orange red in color and held above and beyond the foliage; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Betuko’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Betuko’.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Balemonk’, not patented. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Balemonk’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands in April, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Ermelo, The Netherlands since June, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Betuko’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Betuko’ as a new and distinct Begonia:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Semi-double flowers that are orange red in color and held         above and beyond the foliage.     -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the parent, ‘Balemonk’, in flower color as plants of ‘Balemonk’ have bright red-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Begonia have smaller flowers with fewer tepals per flower than plants of ‘Balemonk’.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis Berseba, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Ermelo, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed primarily from plants of ‘Berseba’ in flower color as plants of ‘Berseba’ had red-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Begonia had slightly lighter green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Berseba’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Betuko’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close up view of upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Betuko’ (left) and upper, side and lower surfaces of typical flowers of ‘Betuko’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in Ermelo, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants, the average day temperature was 20° C. and the average night temperature was 18° C. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘Betuko’. -   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Begonia×hiemalis ‘Balemonk’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 days at temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five weeks at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white/orange in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense; plants of             the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit,             inverted triangle; freely branching with good stem and stem             base strength; flowers are semi-double and positioned above             the foliage.         -   Growth habit.—Vigorous growth habit; suitable for 11 to             14-cm containers; under optimal environmental and cultural             conditions, usually about twelve weeks are required to             produce proportional 12-cm potted plants from cuttings;             vegetative shoots are formed at basal nodes and flowering             shoots are formed at upper nodes.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm to 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 30 cm to 35 cm.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Developing leaves,             length: About 4 cm. Developing leaves, width: About 4.5 cm.             Fully expanded leaves, length: About 12 cm. Fully expanded             leaves, width: About 12.5 cm. Shape: Roughly reniform. Apex:             Acute to broadly acute. Base: Cordate; asymmetric. Margin:             Doubly serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Darker than 147A; venation, close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A; venation,             close to 146B. Petioles: Length: About 1.5 cm to 7 cm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C; with             development, color becoming closer to 178B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers with tepals arranged in             axillary cymes; usually five to seven flowers per cyme;             numerous cymes in flower simultaneously; flowers positioned             above and beyond the foliage; flowering continuous.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants will flower year round             regardless of nyctoperiod, however plants flower earlier and             more abundantly from mid-February until November in the             Northern Hemisphere.         -   Flowers.—Shape: Rounded; rose-like. Diameter: About 4 cm to             5 cm. Depth (height): About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm to 16 mm. Diameter: About 2             mm to 3 mm. Color: Close to 39A.         -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower: Usually             about six to eight per flower. Size: Outer tepals, length:             About 2.7 cm. Outer tepals, width: About 3 cm. Inner tepals,             length: About 2 cm. Inner tepals, width: About 2.2 cm.             Shape: Rounded flabellate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Mostly             entire to slightly crenate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 33A. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 39A to 39B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             33B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 39B.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: Two, opposite. Shape:             Broadly ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Slightly serrate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C partly overlain with             close to 180A.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 5 cm to 7 cm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 199A to 199B.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 1.5 cm to 3 cm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 178C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None             observed.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed             as reproductive organs are not formed. -   Postproduction longevity:     -   -   Individual flowers.—Generally about two to three weeks.         -   Whole plants.—About six weeks under interior conditions. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Begonia has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 10° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Betuko’ as illustrated and described. 